Govt defends in HC "best of five rule" for XI admissions

The Maha Govt today filed an affidavit in the Bombay HC strongly defending
its decision to issue a Government Resolution (GR) in February
this year introducing the `Best of the five` rule for SSC
students.

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Government today
filed an affidavit in the Bombay High Court strongly defending
its decision to issue a Government Resolution (GR) in February
this year introducing the `Best of the five` rule for SSC
students who are seeking admissions to standard XI.

Under this rule, an SSC student will be able to choose
five subjects in which he or she has secured better marks.

Some parents whose children had appeared for CBSC and
ISCS board examination this year had challenged this rule in a
PIL, saying same facility should be provided to them too.

The matter would be heard tomorrow by Justice J N
Patel and Justice S C Dharmadhikari.

The state said it had taken the decision after taking
the views of Academic Council under provisions of Maharashtra
Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board Act.

The state contended that the proposal to introduce the
impugned rule was sent by SSC Board on February 2.

The state said it had asked the Board to publicise
the proposed amendment of introducing `best of five` rule.
The Board in turn had issued advertisements in newspapers and
time was given till February 22 to invite suggestions and
objections.

Accordingly, 250 views were received, of whom 189 were
in favour of the proposal and 59 against it. Two others were
neither in favour or against. On February 25, the state
sanctioned the proposed amendment and GR was issued, the
Government`s affidavit contended.

On last occasion, the bench had restrained the SSC
Board and the state from going ahead with the admission
process.

The admission process for Std XI is getting stuck in
litigation for the last three years.

Last year, the state government carved out quota for
SSC students for Std XI, on the grounds that since ICSE and
CBSE board students scored more (because of a different exam
pattern), SSC students had to be protected.

But the quota system was struck down by High Court.

In the year before, state had come up with
"percentile" formula, which gave additional marks to SSC
pass-outs, on the same ground.